A neoplasm is a growth that develops in the cell or the tissues which can or in some cases do not completely form a tumor. Depending on the type, they can either be cancerous, non-cancerous or locally aggressive. The cancerous tumor can develop in any part of the gastrointestinal tract which consists of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, the pancreas and the anus. Accordingly, the symptoms are also based on the organ that becomes affected. The treatment is focused on the location of the tumor if it is confined to the organ or has spread and invaded other parts of the body.
Stomach cancer
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, tends to develop slowly over several years. Although the pre-cancerous changes in the stomach can occur, often they go unnoticed as they don’t present any symptoms. The stomach cancer can also affect other parts of the body such as the nearby organs and the lymph nodes. Some of the risk factors for developing stomach cancer include lymphoma of the stomach, H.pylori infection, diet that is rich in smoked food or high salt content, tobacco use, obese and pernicious anemia. The treatment usually consists of a surgery that removes cancer or the stomach and the nearby lymph nodes based on the stage of cancer. Additional treatments can include chemotherapy and radiation.
Esophageal cancer
The esophagus is the long tube that carries the food from the throat to the stomach. Although cancer of the esophagus can occur anywhere in the tube, it most commonly develops in the lower part. The early form of this cancer does not present any symptoms, although later in the stage the symptoms include difficulty with swallowing, chest pain, coughing, hoarse voice and unexpected weight loss. Some of the types of esophageal cancer include adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, sarcoma and lymphoma. The treatment includes surgery to remove the small tumors that are confined to the esophagus or the removal of a part of the esophagus, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Colorectal cancer
Most of this type of cancer develops on the inner lining of the colon or the rectum known as a polyp. Not all the polyps can develop into cancer and depends on the type of polyp which includes adenomatous polyps (pre-cancerous) and hyperplastic polyps (generally non-cancerous). Some of the inherited genetic mutations can also cause colorectal cancers which include conditions such as lynch syndrome and gardner syndrome. Individuals with a family history of colorectal polyps should consider genetic counseling and genetic testing. Some of the symptoms of colorectal cancer include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, cramps, feeling bloated, feeling that bowel is not completely emptied, constipation or diarrhea and the presence of blood in the stool. As colorectal cancer does not present any symptoms in the initial stage, individuals over the age of 50 should get screened. The treatment includes chemotherapy, radiation, a combination of both or a surgery.
References
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/esophageal-cancer/basics/treatment/con-20034316
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/stomach-cancer/treating/types-of-surgery.html
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/what-causes.html
